The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-05-31

fAeAAteAoAhs thu lONAilA uduu5g DI CDtAl-
Tades and friends, have set the flag they
| loved, and placed floral tributes, on the last
| resting place Of half q million Of Americas
brayest sons. The Grand Army Of the Re
pubic owes It's existence TO the undying
| friendships, made strong and sacred, by four
long years Of toll and strife. The men who
marched shoulder TO shoulder, braYely fight
ing the battles Of freedom and union, could
Leyer forget their mutual exposure and dan
ger, in camp and field. Twenty-one years
ago the Grand Army sprang into life. This
year marks its majority, and with each sue
eeeding year, 1t binds more firmly together
the noble men. who wear its badge of honor.
But we meet with sad hearts to-day, my
comrades, for there are vacant places In our
ranks that one year ago were filed by those
| we loved. They have passed from our NOR
| tal sight, but they live In our hearts. Our
love knows no rank. The humble private
holds an equal place with the gallant chief
who led the fight To-day the brave Logan,
whose eloquent tribute 10 the nations great
est warrior thrilled our hearts one year ago.
now sleeps with those who followed him In
iercest tight, 10 victory or death.
Comrades, our Orll Of honor lengthens year
by year. One by 0ne.the SCARED veterans,
bound to US by ties Of fraternity, charity and
loyalty, drop from our side TO rest In their
last camping ground.
To mark their resting place and keep their
memory ever fresh IL 0na of our most sacred
duties. But the day hastens when only a
remnant Of the mighty host will be left To
other hands must be committed this great
trust: Sons OF Vetrans, upon your shoulders
Will fall the mantle OF the Grand Army To
yoa and your children from generation 10
generation, this precious heritage, purchas-
ed with heroic bravery and untold sacrifice
OF precious lives viii be bequeathed. BE true
sons OF noble sires, and great country will
bless and hold sacred their memory and the
grand principles for. which they lived and
died.
Mr.. French was warmly applauded at the
conclusion OF his remarks. Hewas followed
by the Weber club, who sang with excellent
effect 'Rest, Soldier. Rest" the song being
received with expressions Of approval by the
audience. Rev. L. III. Hallock then offered
prayer, the members Of the Grand Army and
Shepley Camp standing. Shaw's quartette-
Messrs. Frank w. Shaw. Samuel ThurstOn.
Frank A. Bowdoin and John l.. Shaw-sang
Rev. DIR. Hills beautiful memorial hymn,
"Hear our Prayer" the well trained voices
Of the singers blending sweetly.
w. III. Clifford, Esq, was then introduced
and delivered an address which was listened
to with the creates. attention. Mr.. Clifford
related in a clear and interesting style the
history of the differences between the States
which eliminated in the civil war, and made
many eloquent illusions to the great struggle,
paying a tender tribute to the soldiers Of the
North. Mr.. Cliford's remarks follow:
MR.. cLIFFoRD's ADDRESS.
Ladies' and Gentlemen:
II Is privilege 70 have the opportunity of
taking share In the memorial exercises Of
this day, to join in the common expression
OF atfectiOnate and respectful remembrance
Of the heroism and the sacrifices Of the sol
dlers who died in the civil war. Indeed. as
m no rfaNn nawf n.
exclusively observed by the remnant Of the
| Northern army who still survive. Inasmuch
as the Union and the cause for which they
fought was q cause and union Of the entire
| nation, so all classes, civilians and soldiers
| alike, claim share in the great and glorious
memories to which the exercises Of this day
| will always point
Finding my way into town this morning
from neighborlng village by the shore.
was struck with the spectacle the Village pre-
sented. For all along the roads and high
ways came troops and companies OF men,
women and children, bearing their offerings
Of wreaths and chaDlets Of early summer
flowers, all vending their way TO that com
mon center Of affection and recollection to-
day-the cemetery. They came from farms
and homesteads, and from all along the
winding shore Of our inner bay, all animat-
ed by common emotion, all tending TO a
common spot; and l thought how, at that
moment, similar scenes were transpiring In
almost every village In the North. Hundreds
of thousands were AOckfng 10 the resting
places OF their relatives and their heroes.
They have some OF them. slumbered there,
Tor twenty years and more, and still the feel
ing IS as strong today as when Memorial
Day begun. How strong Is the influence Of
Memorial Day upon the affections of the
peopiei a hush, similar to the silence
which for eighteen hundred years has fallen
on Sunday, which this year preceded Memo
rial Day, comes over this day also. Sus-
pending the business Of life, men seem 10
turn the ear backward TO catch the full
sound OF the deep and tender swell Of the
great memories, the subduing recoilections
Of the hour. There Is no sign Of the dimIn-
ution Of the public interest in the day. Is
observance is founded on patriotism and per-
sonal affection.
The grandeur and Importance Of our last
national struggle Is developing almost daily
before our eyes. All great achievements Of
nations, or of men, need to be viewed through
retrospect Of years in order that their true
magnitude may be realized. They must be
viewed at distance, after their occurrence,
in order to be able TO embrace their grandeur
and prOp0rtiOns; they must be viewed at a
distance in time before their occurrence in
order to have an understanding Of their
causes. Great moral, social or political revo-
lutions are not the growth Of a single season,
or the fruit Of single planting. The causes
which have led men to unite against injus-
tice, or to confront error, have always been
the slow. although perhaps unnOticed, accu-
tiOn and belief. Whenever submitted to
careful examination we shall find some
steady, persistent cause tosunderlie all great
national connections.
The war between the North and the South
was the final outgrowth Of long standing
| difference of opinion as TO the true scope
| and character Of our Federal Constitution
| That variance was as old as 1t was deep. The
| same conflict OF opinion which swept tIio ma
tion into war In 1861, had manifested itself
/ under different circumstances, and on differ
l ent occasions, all along the course of our his
tory as nation. That conflict began when
| the Constitution itself was in the process OF
| formation. 1t is plain that the seeds Of a fu-
ture possible struggle against the supremacy
OF the National Government were sown al
most at the birth Of our Constitution. The
germs OF different opinions upon this subject
appeared when the outlines OF our present
system were presented to the Constitutional
Convention in 1881, and were developed by
the debates which preceded the COnstitu-
ton's formation and adoption. A wide di-
| yergence OF understanding was exhibited
from the beginning as 70 the real powers
| conferred upon the National Government by
| the Constitution, as to the rights retained by
the States, and In general as to the entire fti-
ture practical operation OF the whole pollti-
| cal machine.
Indeed it Is in no wise surprising that con-
\ eerning the character of SO remarkable a poll
| teal edihee, so wisely and nicely fashioned
| out OF materials new and old. there should
| HdNo Dtch dt bnt DtbiuulnB uuykninK DuL
unanimity Of opinion. say Of materials
| new and old because at the time Of which we
are speaking, there existed the original
/ colonial and state governments and during
/ the Revolutionary war the articles Of con-
federation. From the already existing
structures Of the colonial governments. ri
was not the purpose Of our forefathers TO sub
tract single essential stone. These govern
ments had been the growth Of years Of strug-
gle and hard experience, during the child
hood Of our nation. But at the same time
the new and grander edihce the national
government could only be erected out OF
materials furnished from those great quar-
ries Of political rights, the powers, liberties
and franchises of the thirteen original states.
This marvellous uniting of the existing forms
and principles of the colonial governments
with the newly erected building of solid
federal power, was the cunning work OF our
Revolutionary fathers. Out Of these ap-
parently conflicting principles they framed
and reared this stately temple Of our exist
ing double form OF government, state and
national. Yet all the parts were so harmoni-
ousiy united that the whole seemed TO have
originated at the same time, and to have
come forward 10 maturity together. lt Is
never an old theme with us, and can never
fail to excite afresh our gratitude and won
der when we recollect how skillfully the ex-
isting governments Of the states were sup
plemented by the national government. and
how the whole was united and bound 10.
| gether by the grand OveT-arch Of our supreme
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